‘State of The Union’ has more than meets the eye

Students pose with host Jake Tapper, center; from left, Amanda Nannarone, Alaina Monismith, Stephen Cobb, Lauren Green and Alexandra Morrison. 

MANCHESTER, N.H. — During a taping of “State of the Union” on Sunday, CNN’s Jake Tapper discussed the New Hampshire primary days before the first votes are cast. The program was an hour-long, commercial free event that featured a series of pre-taped and live interviews.

Tapper invited real-estate mogul Donald Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; he talked to each candidate about how their campaigning in New Hampshire. Trump, Sanders and Kasich were all taped and Clinton and Christie came to the set that morning.

However, the real story unfolded off-camera in a special moment between Christie and Clinton when she stopped to shake hands and speak with the governor and his wife.

Both candidates seemed to be in good spirits, and even hugged each other hello. In a brief exchange, Clinton asked Christie how his kids were and congratulated him on his strong debate performance the night before. Christie laughed and and said to send his regards to the former president, Bill Clinton. The moment was friendly and amicable, a far cry from the rhetoric and insults seen in public between the two candidates.